Scottish Executive

Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that children in Aberdeenshire Council area have access to swimming facilities as part of the school curriculum.

Mr Jack McConnell: As announced by Nicol Stephen on 24 May, we shortly intend to conduct a review of swimming provision available to pupils in Scotland. This information will establish a comprehensive picture and will be used to consider what, if any, action should be taken across Scotland.

Employment

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have taken part in an employment training, skills or other related initiative in the last five years are now in work.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Information on the current status of all such people is not available. However, data is collected on job outcomes following the completion of training programmes. For the training for work programme, the number of starts and the percentage of programme leavers gaining a job in each of the last five years is shown in the following table.

  


 


1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99* 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  



Starts 
  

28,023 
  

26,596 
  

16,559 
  

16,304 
  

14,390 
  



Job Outcomes (%) 
  

38 
  

34 
  

45 
  

47 
  

44 
  



  *Programme re-aligned to focus on 25 plus client group following introduction of new deal 18-24.

  In addition, new deal statistics for Scotland are published and available by visiting the Scottish Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00105-00.asp

Employment

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the private sector training providers involved in delivering employment training, skills or other related initiatives, broken down by initiative, and what relationship it has with such providers.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

Energy Efficiency

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what total expenditure on energy efficiency measures was reported by each local authority under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 for the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what average expenditure on energy efficiency measures per assisted dwelling was reported by each local authority under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 for the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage improvement in energy efficiency was reported by each local authority under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 for the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what average level of energy efficiency improvement per assisted dwelling was reported by each local authority under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 for the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction in demand for energy was achieved as a result of measures reported under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 in each local authority area in the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what average reduction in demand for energy per assisted dwelling was achieved as a result of measures reported under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 in each local authority area in the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the total housing stock in each local authority area benefited from energy efficiency measures reported under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 in the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what average saving on fuel bills per assisted dwelling was achieved as a result of energy efficiency measures reported under the Home Energy Efficiency Act 1995 in each local authority area in the period April 1997 to March 1999.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive did not record information separately for each local authority on expenditure and improvements under the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) in the period April 1997 to March 1999. Information on local authorities as a whole for the period concerned is set out in the Executive’s first HECA progress report to Parliament, published in May 2001 (Bib. no. 13715).

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what outside interests are held by members of the Dounreay particles advisory group and whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has investigated whether any of the members are in receipt of an income from any other bodies involved in the nuclear industry.

Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information is not held centrally.

Excellence Fund

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received proposals for virement between programmes in the excellence fund from Scottish BORDERs Council.

Mr Jack McConnell: I have noted, with concern, reports about the education budget within Scottish BORDERs Council. The position is currently the subject of a formal reference to the Accounts Commission. I have also made clear that, following the conclusion of   the controller of audit’s investigations, I will ask Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education to bring forward their planned inspection of the education authority functions within Scottish BORDERs Council.

  My department has recently received proposals from the council to transfer resources into their national grid for learning and inclusion programmes for the current financial year. Their proposals were:

  A total of £358,000 to be transferred into the council’s national grid for learning programme from resources which are currently uncommitted in the following programmes:

  


Early Intervention 
  

£100,000 
  



Supporting Parents 
  

£10,000 
  



Classroom Assistants 
  

£198,000 
  



Support for Teachers 
  

£50,000 
  



  Separately, £31,000 to be transferred from the alternatives to exclusion programme into the inclusion programme.

  Before considering these transfers, I instructed my officials to seek assurances from the council that achievement of the key national objectives of each of the programmes concerned would not be prejudiced. The council has given these assurances; early intervention roll-out across the BORDERs will continue, and adult/pupil ratios will be below 1:15.

  I also asked my officials to seek assurance that the transfers would have no detrimental effect on existing levels of provision for children with special needs. The council has told my department that there will be no reduction to the council’s inclusion programme under the excellence fund. Indeed, £31,000 will be transferred into this programme from the Alternatives to Exclusion programme. to assist in maintaining existing levels of support for children with special educational needs.

  In the light of these assurances, approval to the transfers has been given.

  The council has also notified my department that in the light of the overspending on their education budgets which has recently come to light they are no longer able to resource their planned objective of providing a new autism unit at Howdenburn Primary School in this financial year. I have been assured that this proposal will be revisited when the council has completed its longer-term review of expenditure and provision.

Food Additives

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce universal fortification with folic acid of all wheat flour.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive health department and the Food Standards Agency for Scotland jointly conducted an initial public consultation between July and October 2000, following recommendations by the Committee on Medical Aspects on Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) on the fortification of wheat flour with folic acid. A summary analysis of the consultation responses has been published and is available on the websites of both the Scottish Executive and the Food Standards Agency.

  Based on this, and the results of additional research which is currently being carried out, ministers will have the opportunity to consider COMA’s recommendations fully, prior to deciding on any plans to introduce fortification of wheat flour with folic acid.

Food Safety

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make it illegal for mechanically recovered meat to be included in statistics detailing the meat content of food products such as sausages, pies and burgers.

Malcolm Chisholm: On matters relating to food safety the Scottish Executive is advised by the Food Standards Agency. The agency is fully committed to ensuring that food manufacturers provide relevant and meaningful information for consumers.

  There have been increasing restrictions placed on production of ruminant mechanically recovered meat (MRM) and with effect from mid-August MRM production has been confined to pigs and poultry.

  Separate labelling of mechanically recovered meat in the ingredients list of prepacked meat products has been a requirement since 1997. A recent agreement on a European definition of meat reinforces this labelling requirement, and in addition places mechanically recovered meat outside the definition for the purposes of the quantitative declaration of "meat" ingredients in meat products. The new definition has to be implemented by January 2003.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the present position is in relation to the two Chhokar Inquiry reports.

Colin Boyd QC: I have received Sir Anthony Campbell’s report into the process of prosecution decision making in the case. I have been advised that Dr Jandoo has now completed his report concerning the liaison which took place between the authorities and the Chhokar family, although Dr Jandoo has still to submit his report.

  On 10 September, the Minister for Justice and I were requested by Mr Anwar of the Chhokar Family Justice Campaign to delay publication of both reports until at least 10 October due to the poor health of a family member. We are both of the view that this is the right thing to do. As a consequence, it is now our intention to publish both reports shortly after the October recess.

New Deal

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the destinations of all those leaving each new deal programme in each year since the inception of each programme.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Information is available on the destinations of leavers from new deal for young people, new deal 25+ and new deal for lone parents on the Scottish Executive website ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00105-00.asp ). Data from this is shown as follows:

  New Deal for Young People

  


Year 
  

Unsubsidised Employment 
  

Other Benefits 
  

Other Known 
  

Unknown 
  



1998 
  

3,711 
  

1,175 
  

1,276 
  

1,648 
  



1999 
  

8,030 
  

2,929 
  

5,199 
  

5,210 
  



2000 
  

8,128 
  

3,144 
  

5,568 
  

6,167 
  



2001 
  

3,443 
  

1,402 
  

2,047 
  

2,706 
  



Total 
  

23,312 
  

8,650 
  

14,090 
  

15,731 
  



  Data from Jan-98 to May-01.

  ND25+

  


Year 
  

Unsubsidised Employment 
  

Other Benefits 
  

Other Known 
  

Unknown 
  



1998 
  

264 
  

249 
  

454 
  

224 
  



1999 
  

1,277 
  

1,360 
  

7,253 
  

840 
  



2000 
  

1,488 
  

1,655 
  

8,704 
  

818 
  



2001 
  

644 
  

724 
  

3,063 
  

338 
  



Total 
  

3,673 
  

3,988 
  

19,474 
  

2,220 
  



  Data from Jul-98 to May-01.

  NDLP

  


Year 
  

Left Income Support 
  

Still on income support 
  


 

Employment 
  

Other Benefits 
  

Ineligible 
  

Employment 
  

Withdrawn for other reasons 
  

Unknown 
  



1998 
  

67 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  

37 
  

12 
  



1999 
  

1,975 
  

52 
  

125 
  

31 
  

1,965 
  

289 
  



2000 
  

2,935 
  

81 
  

135 
  

27 
  

1,851 
  

157 
  



2001 
  

1,180 
  

26 
  

55 
  

15 
  

758 
  

63 
  



Total 
  

6,157 
  

159 
  

316 
  

73 
  

4,611 
  

521 
  



  Data from Oct-98 to May-01.

  Note: Research has found that leavers for unknown destinations are as likely to enter employment as leavers to known destinations (New Deal for Young People: Survey of Leavers to Unknown Destinations, ESR63, January 2001).

Schools

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to local authorities to assist them in ensuring effective access to school buildings for people with disabilities.

Nicol Stephen: From April 2000, the Scottish Executive inclusion programme is providing an additional £19 million over two years to assist education authorities in making schools more accessible to children with special educational needs. This funding can be used to ensure effective access to school buildings for children with disabilities, and authorities should use it to supplement use of their mainstream resources for accessibility.

Scottish Executive Staff

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of a motion of no confidence in its management having been passed by its security staff; if so, what actions have been taken to address the concerns raised, what further actions will be taken to address the concerns raised and what steps are being taken to ensure that a similar situation does not arise again in the future.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive is aware that a motion of no confidence was passed at a union meeting attended by security staff in July but no concerns following the motion have been raised with security branch management.